Match

Cook & Pietersen share century stand to put England on top in second Test

Last Updated: 25/11/12 12:07am

Cook (R) and Pietersen (L) put England on top in Mumbai

Cheteshwar Pujara was finally dismissed in the second Test in Mumbai

Alastair Cook and Kevin Pietersen shared an unbeaten century partnership as England batted themselves into a position of real strength on day two of the second Test against India in Mumbai.

England's captain made 87 not out and Pietersen 62 not out as the duo put on their 12th hundred stand in Test cricket to ensure the tourists finished the day on 178-2 - trailing India by 149 runs.

Cook and Pietersen came together shortly before tea after Pragyan Ojha had taken two quick wickets to give India hope of making genuine inroads into the England batting line-up.

The slow left-armer first induced an edge to remove Nick Compton after a patient 90-ball knock of 29 from the opener - Virender Sehwag taking a routine catch at slip.

Shortly afterwards Ojha trapped Jonathan Trott on his crease to secure an obvious lbw decision, England's number three departing for a six-ball duck after a very brief and scratchy stay.

At that stage England had found themselves at 68-2, but their skipper and No.4 then formed a formidable alliance, batting with patience and, when called for, aggression as the momentum of the match swung firmly in their favour.

Pujara finally dismissed

Earlier in the day the tourists had dimissed India for 327 with Graeme Swann removing the obdurate Cheteshwar Pujara for the first time in the series as he moved past 200 Test wickets.

Swann had Pujara stumped to finally end his innings on 135 an hour before lunch but by then he had helped India to a healthy first-innings total.

By the time he was dismissed, the No 3 had batted for almost 18 hours without being dismissed in the series after racking up 247 runs over two innings in the first Test in Ahmedabad.

It took nine overs of the morning session on day two for England to finally end the frustrating stand of 111 between Pujara and Ravichandran Ashwin - Panesar wrapping up his five-for with one that hurried on and rapped Ashwin (68) on his back pad just on off stump.

Harbhajan Singh then proved a stubborn No 8 as he and Pujara moved the total on to 315 before Swann caught the former walking across his stumps.

And in his next over, Swann did what no England bowler managed in the first Test when he beat Pujara's bat as he advanced down the wicket and Matt Prior whipped off the bails and India's innings was ended when Swann had Zaheer Khan caught at short leg.